If I Could
by AssassinsVow2012
Summary: A one-shot of the short coming and Ziio and Conner's lives together...


**Songfic of Ziio and Conner time together! Enjoy! Lyrics "If I could" by Barbara Streisand Usbidoft owns Ziio and Conner of AC3…**

_If I could, I'd protect you from the sadness in your eyes_

_Give you courage in a world of compromise,_

"Come Kaniehtí:io, push once more I see its head!" Her young native friend Niyati had said; while clutching the pained woman's death-grip. Ziio used the last of her strength, and let out a small weak laugh from the sound of the baby's cries.

"You've given birth to a beautiful baby boy my Kaniehtí:io." The clan mother quietly replied; holding in her hand a bundle of a brown-winkled being in a fur cloth.

"May I hold him?" Ziio asked in her exhausted yet pleading tone. It hadn't been the same for her since her people found out about her "interaction" with a British man. It was such amazement how Ziio had kept her head held high even when they found out her pregnancy with her fellow gentleman.

_Yes, I would If I could, I would teach you all the things I've never learned _

_And I'd help you cross the bridges that I've burned,_

"Has she no shame!"

"I heard she was raped."

"How can she should her face with the deed she has done?"

"Did you know she's lost her position as Clan Mother?"

Ziio with her dear friend Niyati and a few others that have forgiven and saw reason for her actions remained by her side especially during the time of her pregnancy. Now here was her child at last.

The elder clan mother shifted slowly toward Ziio's outstretched hands and handed her the little newborn.

The newborn looked up with a curious look at the woman holding him; trying to decipher if he know her.

He did.

He let out a cry of happiness; raising his small arms out in front of his mother's face. Everything that Ziio had lost along the way disappeared at that moment; all that mattered was _her_ child.

Yes _her_ child not _their_ child.

Her lover wasn't a really bad man, quite the gentleman to say; why else would she have fallen for him?

He had respected her wishes of not wanting to have an association with him after learning about his beliefs and practice as a Templar. They could have raised a family.

But if one were to choose between the chance of safety and future whose would it be; the child's or the lover's?

Sadly Ziio knew that he had submerged himself too far in his "misshaped" belief to throw it all away and with her until death. She didn't regret the time she had, knowing the child held a piece of him in there as a reminder…

_Yes, I would_ _If I could, I would try to shield your innocence from time _

_But the part of life I gave you isn't mine _

"Ratonhnhaké:ton, come back here right now!" Ziio yells chasing her 3 year old was running butt NAKED from his bath; out in the village.

She saw him turn a corner and when there; seeing a head full of dark hair peeking out from table covering. **(random I know)**

"Hmm where is Ra-Ra?" Ziio played along her child's game of hide-and-seek. "Is he here?" Ziio pulls aside a tent opening, luckily no one inside. "No not here, is he here?" she looked behind a tree. She heard Ratonhnhaké:ton's stiff a laugh.

Slowly she walks over to his actually hiding spot; "Now could this be where my child is hiding?" Ziio says aloud in question.

Unknown to Ratonhnhaké:ton, his mother moves behind the table and slowly pulls the cloth up. Ziio notices Ratonhnhaké:ton back to her displaying an… interesting sight to see.

"Got you!" Ziio shouts grabbing the blusterous squealing child trying to escape his mother's grasps. "No _Ista!"_ It eventually lead to a tickle fight and finally a sleepy Ratonhnhaké:ton cradled in his mother's arms heading back to their tent.

_I've watched you grow so I could let you go  
If I could, I would help you make it through the hungry years_

_But I know that I can never cry your tears, but I would, if I could_

"Ratonhnhaké:ton let me fix your ruddy hair before you head out to play with Kanen'tó:kon and your other friends!" Ziio yells in her native tongue out to her now 6-year old son who was already near the exit of the tent.

"Okay_ ista_." Her son says with a pout. Ziio raises her eyebrows, "Unless you want to go out looking like a messy _É:rhar_…"

This shut his pouting as he sat crossed legged waiting for his mom's task.

Normally Ratonhnhaké:ton would start chatter away on his adventures of his previous days, but today he seemed oddly quiet.

"Ratonhnhaké:ton, _Oh niiawenhátie_? What is the matter? You're quite than usually." Ziio asks in love and concern for her child, not liking to see him in a sad state.

"_Ista_, Kanen'tó:kon ask why I don't have a father? I shrugged it off but I've wondered too. Why don't I have a father?" her son ended in a crestfallen tone.

Ziio knew this was to be popped up eventually, she didn't know It'd be this early, then again Ratonhnhaké:ton was a fast grasper in his surroundings.

_If I live in a time and place where you don't want to be _

_You don't have to walk along this road with me_

"Ratonhnhaké:ton, I wish I could give a good enough reason why you don't have a father, but it was for our own good. Your father isn't a bad man… but has made choices in his life that would have affected us as a family. I only wanted this to be to protect you from the life he prefers, I understand if you are upset with me thought. It would have been nice to have a fatherly bond…" her son doesn't utter a word until the last of his braid is placed in.

Ratonhnhaké:ton turns to his mother and says, "I'd never be mad at _Ista_, she did it out of concern for me and her and if that means no _Raké:ni _then no_ Raké:ni_." He ends in smile before heading out to his friends.

_My yesterday won't have to be your way  
If I knew, I'd have tried to change the world I brought you to _

_there isn't very much that I can do, but I would, if I could _

The years past again and this time 8 year old Ratonhnhaké:ton reads an English book aware of his mother's close approaching presence.

Thankfully his mother had reluctantly taught him not only Mohawkan but English as well. Something he thought would come in handy eventually; despite him speaking the foreign language in a monotone. Yet at the same time she disliked the language due to a reminder of _him; _his father.

"What are you up to?" Ziio ask knowing the answer. "Not-Nothing Ista." Her son replies quickly. Before she could retort a boy about her son's age arrives.

"Come everyone else is hunting and we're bored!" Kanen'tó:kon states. Her son turns to wait for her response.

"Go, but don't venture beyond the valley understood?" Ziio states in a firm tone. "Yes Ista, see you later!" her son replies heading out.

_If I could, I would try to shield your innocence from time_

_But that part of life I gave you isn't mine_

_I watched you grow so I could let you go _

"Itsa, ITSA!" Ziio could hear her child's cries. The strength she carry in her voice she calls out "Ratonhnhaké:ton !" she senses him trying to push off the pillars holding her down. Knowing it's her end she says, "Ratonhnhaké:ton look at me."

He doesn't tears streaming down his eyes.

"Ratonhnhaké:ton, your journey is set to be different. You must walk this rugged road alone and learn to grow up to the man I wish you to be. The journey will be hard, please for me, don't become like your father. Life is short; treasure it like it's your last. Please be the person I've come to love don't change who you are no matter what you'll come across in your later life. I hope you forgive me for this I only wanted to protect and cherish you while I could. _Konnorónhkwa_Ratonhnhaké:ton." Ziio says in her last moments before the pillars close her off in darkness…

_If, if I could, I would help you make it through those hungry years_

_But I know that I can never cry your tears, but I would, if I could_

_Yes, I would, yes, I would, if I could_

**Sniff. Sniff. Anyone else feel the achy? **** Ok the ending wasn't all that great… I tried. Hit me on the spot of my heart giving me achy feelings writing this one-shot. Hope you enjoyed it though! Seriously it was bugging me I had to write this! AssassinGurl2012**


End file.
